


act 5, scene 2 (thou and i are too wise to woo peaceably)

by ghostemo



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Cheerleader!Sabrina, F/M, I hope you guys like 70s music, Jock!Nick, Mortal AU, Shakespeare references brought to you by your friendly neighborhood ex english major, Tropes Galore!, also with some eventual roz/harvey, ambiguously modern au, brief deadnaming of theo early on in the first chapter but that's it, frenemies to lovers, gratuitous pop culture references, prudence and nick are best friend and no you can't change my mind, starts out with harbrina but its a nabrina endgame babey!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-06-26 21:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19776856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostemo/pseuds/ghostemo
Summary: “Spellman,” he greeted with a smirk. “Coming over to say hello?”She scowled.-When Sabrina Spellman rose to a challenge issued by Prudence Night, she never imagined she’d actually make the varsity cheer squad - or that doing so would upend life as she knew it. Now she has to navigate her new role within the social hierarchy of hell -er Baxter High as well as trying to get her boyfriend to actually communicate. It certainly doesn’t help that she’s been paired up with the annoyingly handsome Nicholas Scratch, captain of Greendale’s beloved football team, for a project in her theater class. It’s exactly as, if not more so, cliche as it sounds.





	1. Chapter 1

> _I don't think I have said enough about the splintered disorder of June, July & August._  
>  -Virginia Woolf 

It’s a little surreal when she thinks about it, stretching out on the football turf while wearing the maroon red of a Baxter High cheer uniform. The dwindling summer heat warms her skin and her brow is slick with sweat. She’d never considered herself the cheerleading type, and she still doesn’t really consider herself the cheerleading type, if she’s honest - but she’s here, at cheer practice, in a cheer uniform, as a cheerleader so logically, she must be the cheerleading type. And she likes it, which is the real kicker - Sabrina Spellman _likes_ cheerleading, she likes the athleticism of it, she likes being a flyer, she likes the other girls on her squad - even the Weird Sisters aren’t so bad. Well, they’re still terrible to her, but they’re worse to some of the other girls, which has kind of been unifying for the squad in all actuality.

But the point is, Sabrina never saw herself as a cheerleader, trying out had been a desperate attempt to find something to do this summer and something to put on her college apps when the time came - all her friends had their own things: Roz was smart and runs quite a few clubs, not to mention does plenty of volunteering at her church, Susie was the VP of the GSA, and even Harvey had his art and occasionally attended the art club - but what did Sabrina have? Working part time at the family mortuary? Hard pass. 

So, cheerleading - she had been looking at a flyer for a dog-walking gig in the school hall at the end of her sophomore year when Prudence Night saw her and assumed she was looking at the poster for varsity cheerleading. Prudence had marched over in her coveted Baxter High varsity cheer uniform and ripped the paper from the wall, scoffing,

“Sorry Spellman, we’re _going_ to state this coming year and I don’t need any dead weight dragging us down.” 

Well the gauntlet, as it were, had been thrown and Sabrina had never backed down from a challenge in her life, and she certainly wasn’t going to start then. Before she could really even consider if she actually wanted to be a cheerleader, she was buying a new pair of sneakers, brushing off her old gymnastic tumbling routine from when she was 10, and heading to cheer tryouts to show Prudence Night and her goons just what Sabrina was capable of (which was, admittedly, not a whole lot, but she was far better than most of the girls trying out and Prudence’s ambition would always outweigh her pettiness). 

Next thing she knew, she was a Baxter High varsity cheerleader. 

She’d gotten mixed reviews from everyone when she announced that not only did she tryout, but she made the variety squad - Aunt Hilda had been ecstatic, Aunt Zelda hadn’t really cared other than it would give her something to do other than date Harvey (why Aunt Zee didn’t approve of Harvey, Sabrina didn’t really know, but she figured if she didn’t like a guy as amazing as Harvey, she just wasn’t going to like anyone Sabrina brought home), Ambrose had laughed himself into a case of the hiccups, the bastard, and Salem had merely meowed - but when you go to your cat with your problems, you get what you pay for, she supposed. Susie and Roz had mostly been confused, but ultimately supportive and Harvey, well, Harvey didn’t really get it and didn’t really want to get it either. Which was… fine. It was _fine._

“Spellman!” Prudence snapped, shaking Sabrina out of her thoughts. “Since you were too busy staring at the no-doubt fascinating turf instead of paying attention, what time will we be meeting on Friday?” 

“Um,” Sabrina wrinkled her nose in confusion. “We don’t have practice on Fridays.” Dorcas tittered behind her hand and Prudence rolled her eyes. 

“No, but the first football game of the season is on Friday. We’re meeting here at 4:30, which gives us time to warm up and get ready.” Prudence suddenly grinned, “Get up girls, you’ve got another lap to do.” 

Sabrina frowned, “But practice is over.” 

Prudence smirked and arched her brow, “Practice is over when I say it’s over, Spellman. Think about that next time before you make me repeat myself.” Prudence’s eyes narrowed, “I hate having to repeat myself.” 

The girls all groaned and started to get up, shooting Sabrina dark looks as they began to jog passed. Sabrina flushed crimson. 

By the time Sabrina had finished her extra lap, football practice had finished up as well and - sure enough, there was Nicholas Scratch, leaning against the bleachers and talking with Prudence, that stupid smug grin on his face. Sabrina tried not to scowl. She did not need to get into more hot water with Prudence and having Nicholas flirt with her was just going to fan the flame of Prudence’s ire. 

She slowed down but there was no avoiding it, her water bottle was right by where Prudence and Nicholas were chatting. As she got closer she couldn’t help but notice the soft grin on Prudence’s face as she talked with him or the goofy, playful way Nicholas waggled his eyebrows at her - for a moment the two of them looked actually human. Of course the moment was ruined when Nicholas noticed her dragging her feet toward them and his eyes gave her a sly once over - Prudence went back to glaring daggers and Nicholas slipped right back into his infuriating, playboy demeanor. 

“Spellman,” he greeted with a smirk. “Coming over to say hello?” 

She scowled, “No. Just came over for my water bottle, Ambrose is waiting for me.” He wasn’t but they didn’t need to know that. She picked up her bottle before making to turn on her heels, “Bye.” 

“Wait, Spell- Sabrina.” She paused even though she could feel the daggers Prudence was glaring into her back, demanding that she keep walking. But when has Sabrina Spellman ever done what Prudence wanted her to? The uniform she was currently wearing was a testament to that. “Are you going to the party at Billy’s after the game this Friday?” 

Oh fuck, she hadn’t thought about that. Prudence had made it very clear that part of her “responsibilities” to the team was keeping up appearances which meant going to as many parties as possible. There was _definitely_ no way she was getting out of the first football party of the season. 

She turned around and crossed her arms, “Can I bring my friends?” Prudence rolled her eyes and walked away in a huff, taking Nicholas’ car keys with her while he just shrugged, his grin a little less wolfish and a little more lopsided. Sabrina, against her probably better judgement, felt herself warm up to him and softened her stance. 

“Sure, I don’t see why not. Susie, Roz, and… Harry, right?” 

Sabrina rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help the small smile that managed to break through. Nicholas had been messing up Harvey’s name all summer and yet he never stumbled with Susie or Roz’s names - she’d initially tried correcting him, but she’d given that up sometime mid-August - now it had become sort of a running joke. Not that she’d ever tell Nicholas that. Or Harvey for that matter. 

“Harvey. And yes.” 

“The more the merrier.” Nicholas winked at her and Sabrina pressed her lips together to fight the growing smile. The sound of a horn blaring in the distance interrupted the moment, causing Nicholas to roll his eyes. Sabrina giggled before she could stop herself. “I better go, hell hath no fury and all that. I’ll see you around, Spellman.” 

“See ya, Scratch.” 

She watched him walk away, his strides long and his broad shoulders sure, and there was that weird, pesky warm feeling in her chest again. _Ugh,_ she shook her head, turned and walked away. 

-

“This is weird, right?” Roz repeated for like, the fifth time in the awkward car ride over to Billy Marlin’s big party. It was supposed to be one of biggest parties of year, up there with the post Homecoming party and the post Prom party, because not only was it the first football party of the season but also the last party of the summer. It was supposed to be a rager - not that Sabrina or her friends had any experience with parties like those, of course, because up until a couple of months ago no one would’ve bothered with the foursome of nobodies. Not that they’re not still nobodies, cause they are, but cheerleading had forced Sabrina up the social ladder and there was no way she was leaving her friends behind, especially for people like Prudence Night and Nicholas Scratch. 

Despite the awkward atmosphere of Harvey’s truck, and the way her boyfriend’s hands were wrapped so tightly around the steering wheel his knuckles were white, Sabrina was excited and she knew Roz and Susie were too. It had only taken them until their junior year, but they were actually going to their first big party. 

More specifically, they were going to Billy Marlin’s big end of the summer party - it was a little surreal. Weird, even, as Roz had suggested a few times now. 

“I wonder who will be the weirdest hook up this time…” Susie murmured, though the excitement was clear in their voice. 

“Oh my God,” Roz gasped. “I totally forgot about that! No longer are we confined to secondhand and thirdhand gossip, but maybe we’ll actually see _it_.” Even Harvey seemed to perk up a little at that. At this point in Baxter High history the “weirdest hookup” was infamous - it was more than who slept with Nicholas Scratch or who got played by Prudence Night, the weirdest hookup was the backbone of Baxter High gossip - and it was only reserved for the strangest of pairings. The idea was that two people (sometimes more than two, again, thanks Scratch) who you’d never in a million years guess of ever having known each other’s _names,_ hookup at one of Billy Marlin’s crazy parties. It was silly, Sabrina and her friends knew that, but it was fun - and it was exciting to know they might actually get to witness such an important, if stupid, moment go down. The key, of course, was to not end up in the weirdest hookup yourself, but Sabrina didn’t think that would be a problem for her and her friends. 

Susie and Roz began detailing the past weirdest hookups and possible pairings for this year and it wasn’t long until they pulled up to Billy’s house, the party already in full swing. The bass from the music seemed to rattle the glass of the pickup’s windows and Sabrina could already feel it hum in her chest. The group fell silent, nervous once again as Harvey killed the engine. 

“At least Ambrose will be here, right guys?” Sabrina tried. Roz perked up a little at the mention of Sabrina’s older cousin which made Sabrina and Susie grin at each other briefly. Harvey rolled his eyes but for once didn’t say anything about the crowd Ambrose ran with, and for that Sabrina was grateful. 

“Well I guess we better…” Roz trailed off, her hand reaching to open the car door when Susie suddenly exclaimed, 

“Wait!” The group all froze and turned to stare at their smallest friend. Susie blushed, “Um.” They nervously twisted their hands in their lap before swallowing. “Uh, actually guys… uh, I have something that I wanted to say before we… ya know…” Susie took a moment to steel their courage, “Um, I, uh, I’m a guy.” The words were rushed and breathless, like they’d been punched from their lungs.

“Oh!” Harvey exclaimed, sounding a little out of breath himself and Roz reached out and pulled their friend into her side,

“I’d, um, like it if you guys, uh, called me… Theo… from now on.” Theo looked up into the supportive faces of his friends and smiled lopsidedly. “He/him pronouns please.” Sabrina leaned over and placed a supportive hand on Theo’s leg and grinned, 

“Of course, Theo.” Harvey nodded enthusiastically beside her. 

“Do you…” Roz paused, “how do you want us to address you at the party? Are you like, coming out, or…” Theo bit his lip and then shook his head. 

“Um, I don’t really want to make it, like, a Thing, but I’d like it if you guys called me Theo and used the right pronouns. I don’t want to stay in the closet and… I guess I figured that… if we’re going to Billy Marlin’s party… I might start this year… as _me._ ” Roz squeezed Theo tighter. 

“Ok.” The friends all took a second to smile at each other, but the moment was shattered when there was a loud crash and the echo of loud laughter from inside the house. 

Sabrina squared her shoulders. “Everybody ready?” Her friends reluctantly nodded. Sabrina looked at Theo, “If anyone gives you shit tonight I’ll kick their ass.” 

“Me too.” Roz grinned. 

“Me three.” Harvey said softly. 

“Thanks guys,” Theo beamed at them. “Now, let’s go!” 

-

Sabrina didn’t know, really at all, what to expect when they walked through the gates of Hell -er the door of Billy Marlin’s house, but it wasn’t to immediately run into a wet-haired, shirtless Nicholas Scratch with a broom, dust pan, and good-natured scowl on his handsome face. And judging by the look of surprise on his face, he wasn’t expecting to run into them either. 

Harvey’s hand tightened around hers. 

“Watch your step,” said Nicholas as he pointed to the ground. “Some idiot knocked over a vase.” Sabrina tore her eyes away from his bare shoulders and looked at the floor - sure enough, there were sharp pieces of vase everywhere. 

“Was that idiot you?” Sabrina couldn’t help but ask, her voice a little bitier than normal due to the uncomfortable warm pressure in her chest. Was she flushed? She felt flushed. But Nicholas took her acidic tone in stride and laughed, 

“Nope, I’m just the idiot who thinks it’s a good idea to clean it up so drunk high school students don’t get rushed to the ER with feet lacerations.” 

“Oh.” That was… responsible of him. Nicholas gestured with his hand, inviting them in. 

“Yup. Drinks and snacks are in the kitchen, help yourselves. If you want to smoke, do so outside - there’s also a pool and a bonfire out there as well.” That at least explained his undressed state and wet hair. She focused in on one wet curl hanging in his face but when he grinned crookedly at her, she was forced back to reality. She pursed her lips and waited for the no doubt flirtatious comment that was on the tip of his tongue but instead, he just shook his head with a laugh. “Good to see you, Spellman,” his eyes drifted over to her friends for the first time. “Rosalind, Susie, _Harvey._ ” Nicholas winked at her which caused Sabrina to fondly roll her eyes and Harvey to tighten his grip even more. She winced. 

“It’s, uh, Theo actually.” Theo spoke up softly and Nicholas focused his intense gaze on the shortest of their little crew. The blonde tensed, ready to kick his ass if he so much as looked at Theo funny. 

“Theo? Cool.” Nicholas grinned and there was a warmth to his voice that surprised her. “Uh, he/him pronouns?” Theo beamed and nodded. “Cool.” Nicholas suddenly looked serious and hitched a thumb over his shoulder, “If any of these assholes give you a hard time, just holler and I’ll kick the shit out of them, pro bono.” Everyone in their foursome stared at him in shock, and Theo’s face was bright red, but Nicholas didn’t seem fazed by them at all and instead stepped out of the way, “I’d keep your shoes on, if I were you. Enjoy the shitshow.” 

Sabrina couldn’t help but look down at Nicholas’ bare feet and then back up, refusing to let her eyes follow the drop of water trailing down his neck. She quirked her eyebrow up but before she could trade anymore barbs with him, Harvey was pushing her forward and into the great unknown. 

-

Maybe if she was drunker or if she knew these people better - even liked these people better - she’d be having a better time at her first high school party. But as it were, sipping slowly on some gross concoction called Jungle Juice with Harvey’s arm a heavy weight around her shoulders while the party raged on around them, was hardly her idea of a good time. Honestly, the drink was disgusting. 

“You aren’t supposed to sip it, Spellman.” Nicholas’ voice purred close to her ear and she jumped, before turning and scowling at him. He just smirked cheekily at her. Still shirtless. She could practically feel the heat of the glare Harvey was giving Nicholas and his arm grew even tighter. 

“Excuse me?” She snapped. He leaned away and rested his hands on the back of the love seat Sabrina and Harvey were sitting in. She had to crane her neck back to look at him. 

He pointed to her drink. “Shit’s vile, but sipping just prolongs your suffering. Jungle Juice is meant for chugging.” She set her drink down on the coffee table, 

“No thanks.” 

He shrugged, “suit yourself. There’s also water in the kitchen if you’d rather.” She would rather, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. 

“We’d like some water if you’re… offering…” Roz piped up, gesturing to herself and Theo from the other couch, but her voice trailed off under the heat of Nicholas’ gaze. Sabrina almost expected him to say something sarcastic like, ‘did it sound like I was offering?’ but instead he just shrugged, 

“Sure,” and headed toward the kitchen. 

Sabrina shared a bewildered look with Roz. 

“What’s he playing at?” Harvey muttered from besides her and she turned to look at him, confused. 

“What do you mean-“ 

Nicholas walked back over with three water bottles and her cousin Ambrose, a beer in his hand, in tow. Roz brightened and Theo knocked his shoulder into hers playfully. 

“Hello cous, how’s your first party?” Ambrose grinned and plopped down besides her in the love seat that was way too small for three people. She glared at him. Nicholas set two of the water bottles down in front of her friends and winked at Sabrina before setting the third down in front of her. He turned, not waiting for her reaction, and began chatting up Roz and Theo. 

“Does it get better? Because honestly, I’m not sure I get the hype.” Ambrose laughed at her and reached out to mess up her hair, forcing her to focus on him and not on the strange spectacle that was Nicholas Scratch chatting happily with her best friends. She glared, but it only made Ambrose’s brown eyes glitter with mischief. 

“Everything’s more fun when you’re drunk Sabrina - especially parties.” 

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t need to be drunk to have a good time, Ambrose.” Her cousin shrugged,

“Sure, but _maybe_ if you actually embraced the party instead of just sitting in judge-y seclusion you’d have a better time - alcohol or no alcohol.” He took a long drink of beer. “Just a thought.” She just glowered at him in response, mentally ceding his point. 

A burst of Roz’s laughter caught her attention and she turned to look. Theo had his head buried in the side of Roz’s shoulder, his own shoulders shaking with muffled laughter and Roz had her head thrown back, giggling gleefully. Nicholas was gesturing with his hands wildly, a crooked, playful smirk on his face and his dark eyes were bright with laughter - her attention was caught up in watching his hands as they moved. There were two silver rings on two of his fingers - briefly she wondered if they would feel cool in contrast to the warmth of his large hands. Her mouth went dry and she flushed - part embarrassment, part anger. Furiously, she grabbed the unopened water bottle Nicholas had brought her and took a big gulp. She forced herself to look at Harvey, her boyfriend, her sweet and handsome boyfriend, who she loved and who loved her and found him glaring heatedly at Nicholas. She sighed and snuggled closer.

“Wanna dance?” Sabrina murmured and it took real effort, she could tell, for him to stop wishing violent death on Nicholas and actually turn to look at her. 

At first she thought he was going to reject her, with the way his jaw worked silently, but with a quick glance at Nicholas, Harvey took a drink of her water and nodded. She grinned and stood up, catching everyone’s attention. 

“Harvey and I are going to dance. Catch up with you guys later?” She didn’t wait for their response and pulled Harvey to his feet. They slipped into the small crowd of people grinding on each other and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Harvey gave her a tight smile and she resisted the urge to sigh. She tried not to think about how badly she wanted Harvey to just want to dance with her, instead of it being some competition with Scratch. Not that there _was_ a competition - she was with Harvey and she loved him, no handsome jock who wore silver rings on his fingers was going to change that. 

She kept her head buried in Harvey’s neck, refusing to look over at her friends. 

-

It doesn’t take much longer for Roz and Theo to join them on the makeshift dance floor and for the first time tonight, she’s actually enjoying herself. Harvey’s shoulders aren’t as tense either and he actually smiles at her when she twirls around in his arms. Nicholas and Ambrose are nowhere to be seen. 

Eventually the four of them begin to wind down and none of them feel the need to stay any longer than they have to - the fantasy of witnessing the Weirdest Hook Up had lost it’s appeal in the face of tired, danced-out feet. She fulfilled her duty to Prudence and the team, she could bail whenever she wanted. But first she had one last task of the night: she needed to find a restroom in a house she’d never been to - it wasn’t as labyrinthine as the Mortuary, but Billy’s house certainly wasn’t small. 

Harvey, Roz, and Theo were heading back to the car and she’d join them hopefully soon. She checked a door by the kitchen but it was locked, causing Sabrina to huff. She glanced at the staircase across the room, hoping that maybe she’d have better luck upstairs. She kept her eye out for Nicholas or the Weird Sisters, not looking forward to getting cornered by any of them while her friends were out of the house. She just really needed to pee. 

She dashed up the stairs, ignoring the couple dry humping in the hallway - it was too dark to tell who it was anyways. 

She tried the first door on her left, but it was locked as well. Feeling a little more desperate, Sabrina hurried farther down the hall and grabbed the next available door - it was unlocked and swung open with a little more aggression than had been probably necessary. However, she was woefully unprepared for what she witnessed next - the room was not a restroom, but a dimly lit bedroom - a dimly lit bedroom with people in it. _Naked_ people. Naked people she _knew_. She watched in numb horror as her cousin trailed his mouth down Prudence’s exposed neck, a pleased smirk on her face and her hand twisted in dark hair belonging to someone else - Nicholas Scratch, Sabrina realized quickly, with his hand on one of Prudence’s breasts and his mouth scraping kisses above the lace line of her panties. 

Prudence opened one eye and stared at her with feline like satisfaction, her smirk changing from pleased to cruel. “Enjoying the show, _Spellman?_ ” Both Ambrose and Nicholas jerked in shock and whipped their heads around to see her standing in the doorway. Nicholas’s normally plush lips were swollen and shiny - her heart was pounding in her chest. 

“Sorry!” She squeaked and slammed the door closed. There was a weird feeling in her gut and she no longer needed to pee - what she needed was to get the hell out of this house and wash her brain out with bleach. 

Sabrina booked it down the stairs and out of the house, Prudence’s haughty laughter echoing in her ears.


	2. Chapter 2

> _Her moods and her feelings were rushing like newborn torrents._  
>  ~Anais Nin  
> 

Ambrose ended up staying out all weekend which Sabrina was eternally grateful for - she didn’t know how she was going to avoid him for the time being, with them living in the same house and all. Sabrina didn’t plan on avoiding him forever, just until the image of Prudence, Ambrose, and Nicholas all wrapped up in each other and barely dressed wasn’t so fresh in her memory. God, if she closed her eyes, she could still see Prudence’s hand in Nicholas’s dark curls. She shuddered.

Roz was less excited to find out Ambrose was gone when she came over on Sunday after her dad’s sermon. Sabrina didn’t want to hurt Roz with the gossip of what she’d witnessed at the party, but she needed to tell someone - more specifically, she needed to tell her best friend. 

“S _o_ …?” Roz pressed, her hands wrapped around a mug of cinnamon tea while sitting cross legged on Sabrina’s bed. “What’s up?” Sabrina didn’t tell Roz she had gossip when she invited her over, but clearly her “best friend senses” had been tingling. God, she loved Roz. Still, it was a little hard to get the words out - how do you explain to your best friend that you accidentally witnessed your cousin, the guy your best friend has a current massive crush on btw, your arch-nemesis, and your… Nicholas Scratch engaged in a threesome. 

Sabrina played with the tea bag and bit her lip. Roz rolled her eyes. 

“Come _on,_ ‘Brina.” She pressed, “I know you saw something at the party - you practically flew out the door looking like the devil himself was coming after you, but you didn’t say anything so it probably wasn’t the Weirdest Hookup…” Roz paused and furrowed her brow. “Wait, _was_ it the Weirdest Hookup? And if so why didn’t you say anything…?” 

“I…” Sabrina sighed and reached out to stroke Salem’s soft black fur for comfort. “I mean, I don’t think what I saw… _qualifies_ as the ‘Weirdest Hookup’ technically but it was definitely… unsettling.” Nicholas’ shocked face and kiss-wretched lips flashed through her mind and she shook her head with a groan. Roz leaned forward in anticipation. 

Sabrina took a quick sip of her tea before starting her tale. “Ok, so I was trying to find the restroom, right, but, as you know, I’ve never been to Billy’s house before so I was trying all of these different doors and most of them were locked. So I went up stairs to see what I could find and I finally found a door that was unlocked but it wasn’t a bathroom. It was a bedroom. And there were definitely people hooking up inside it.” 

Nicholas pressing open-mouth kisses to Prudence’s hip. Her hand in his curly hair. His big ringed hands on her breast and Ambrose’s thigh. Ugh. 

“It was Prudence. And Nicholas. And Ambrose. All together. Naked. Together.” Sabrina screwed her eyes shut and the room fell into silence. 

“Wait… what? _Really?_ ” Roz gasped. “And… Ambrose too?” Sabrina nodded. “Oh…” Sabrina stood up from her place on the floor and sat next to her best friend. Roz immediately put her head on Sabrina’s shoulder. She grabbed Roz’s hand and squeezed. 

“I’m so sorry Roz…” 

“No, no, it’s fine… I could see how that would be shocking and all, Ambrose is your cousin…” Roz lifted her head and her eyes were wet - it broke Sabrina’s heart. She reached up and wiped away at the stray tear rolling down her dearest friend’s cheek. “And I mean, there’s always been rumors and jokes about Nick and the Weird Sisters and Ambrose…” That was true, the entirety of Baxter High had always been a little obsessed with figuring out just what the hell is going on with the Weird Sisters, Nicholas, and Ambrose and then the revolving door of their other… partners. 

“It still sucks though,” Sabrina murmured with a shaky smile. 

Roz pulled away and her answering smile is just as wobbly, “Yeah… it does.” This time, Sabrina put her head on Roz’s shoulder and Roz gently laid her head back down on Sabrina’s. Her best friend’s soft curly hair smelled like honey and there were specks of communion wine on the sleeves of her yellow sweater. 

“Besides, I think Ambrose is still pretty beaten up about Luke…” Sabrina whispered, barely daring to say the name of Ambrose’s ex boyfriend out loud, even in the quiet seclusion of her bedroom with no one to hear but her best friend and Salem. Roz hummed softly in response. They sat quietly for a moment, their tea getting cold and probably over-steeped, and Sabrina watched Salem’s tail slowly swish back and forth. 

“Do you think Nick Scratch is like… bisexual, or something?” Roz whispered suddenly, breaking the silence and Sabrina stilled, unsure of what brought that question on. 

“I don’t know, I hadn’t really thought about it.” Again, her mind flashed to Nicholas’ hand on Ambrose’s thigh. It didn’t really mean anything, yeah they had been engaged in a threesome but Prudence had definitely been at the center of that whole… arrangement. Plenty of straight guys have engaged in threesomes with other guys before - it didn’t mean they were gay or bi or whatever. But Ambrose _is_ a “polytheist” as he would say, so she supposed it was possible. 

“It’s just, he was so quick to accept Theo and he was so kind about it too. I dunno, but I kinda get a vibe…” 

“So was Harvey,” Sabrina pointed out. “And he’s straight. As far as I know anyways.” 

Roz snorted, “You would be the authority on Harvey’s sexuality. But it’s different, isn’t it? Harvey is Theo’s friend, Nick… isn’t.” She shrugged. “Well no matter his sexuality, it was good of him. He’s really not the worst, you know.” Sabrina lifted her head, a little weirded out by Roz’s warming opinion of Baxter High’s resident Raven king. 

“He’s still a dumb jock and a _massive_ player.” Roz hmm-ed. 

“But not a homophobe. Or a transphobe.” Roz wiggled her brows playfully, clearly trying to lift the mood. “Plus those _abs_ …” 

She ignored the lighthearted comment about his body. “Yeah. I guess.” But Sabrina couldn’t help but begin to bristle; she bet if she had hackles like Salem they would be raising. Since when did any of their little foursome sing the praises of Nicholas Scratch? And since when did Roz pay any attention to Nicholas Scratch’s abs? 

Roz grew serious, “It’s just nice to know that Theo will have other allies when the school year starts tomorrow.” Sabrina blushed and felt the budding anger leave her body in a sudden whoosh. She hadn’t thought of that. Nicholas _would_ be a great ally for Theo to have - no one would pick on him if Scratch stepped in. Infuriatingly, her chest felt warm again. 

Roz watched her for a moment, suspicion and confusion warring on her face. “I know you and Nick have your… issues, but I meant what I said - he’s really not that bad.” Her best friend paused, her face quickly shifting to panicked anger as a new thought occurred to her. “He hasn’t like… done anything to you, has he?” She suddenly sounded horrified. “‘Brina, if he’s hurt you-!” 

“No!” Sabrina shouted, startling Salem from his nap and he sleepily glared at her from across the room. Roz’s shoulders sagged with relief. “No,” she repeated, her voice softer. “Nicholas is just… flirty and annoying, but he’s never, _ever,_ hurt me or done anything to me. Ever. His flirting just makes Prudence meaner at practice and it makes Harvey uncomfortable, but he is, I suppose, a good guy.” By the end of her little speech, her voice was little more than a grumble. But she meant it. Which was... something. Sabrina frowned to herself. 

Roz laughed, “Alright fair enough.” Her dark eyes twinkled with mischief, “Nick’s flirting makes _Harvey_ uncomfortable… but not you, right?” Sabrina shrieked and lightly shoved at her shoulder, making the brunette laugh louder. 

“It…!” Sabrina paused and thought about it. “Well, I don’t like that he flirts with me while I’m in a relationship but Nicholas does flirt with everybody.” She rolled her eyes, “he’s an equal opportunity flirt but… I think if it actually made me feel uncomfortable, he would stop. If I asked anyways.” Sabrina suddenly felt guilty, “Does that… does that make me a bad girlfriend to Harvey?” She did not care for how weak her voice sounded in that moment. 

Roz wrapped a protective arm around her, “Oh, no ‘Brina, I don’t think so. Nick’s a flirty guy - and you clearly enjoy verbally sparring with him, but as long as Harvey is the one who still has your heart and you know, you don’t start actively flirting back or, you know, hooking up with him and the Weird Sister at football parties…” Roz ran a hand through her blonde locks and Sabrina grimaced, refusing to entertain _that_ new mental image, “You’re allowed to make new friends, you know. As long as you don’t forget about us nobodies, you can make friends with the girls on the cheer squad and the guys on the football team. You can be Nick’s friend, Sabrina.” 

Sabrina was embarrassed by the tear that managed to slip out, but God that was exactly what she needed to hear, especially from Roz. For so long it had just been the four of them, but being part of the cheer team has been genuinely a lot of fun and she does like a lot of the girls on the squad and she _does,_ she will grudgingly admit, like ‘verbally sparring’ with Nicholas. But she can’t help but feel so guilty for finding new friends when her current friends are the best a girl could ever ask for. 

“As if I would ever ditch you guys for Prudence and her crowd, you guys are the best.” She sniffled, “but thank you, I… I needed to hear that.” 

“Of course, ‘Brina.” Roz squeezed her. “We can switch topics if you want, but I have one more question - but we can totally just watch movies instead, really.” 

Sabrina giggled and pulled out of Roz’s arms. “No, no, ask away.” 

“I know… well, I guess I _don’t_ know. Are you and Harvey ok?” Oh. 

Sabrina played with the edge of her skirt. “I don’t…” she sighed. “I don’t really know and I don’t know if I want to get into it right now but… things have just been weird. All summer, he’s been kinda hot and cold - ever since I made the cheer squad. Scratch certainly hasn’t helped, but it wouldn’t be fair to place all the blame at his feet either. I don’t really know what to do, Roz… I… I _like_ cheerleading and I just wish Harvey would be supportive of that, I guess.” 

“Of course, ‘Brina.” Roz nodded, and rubbed a reassuring hand up and down Sabrina’s arm. “Harvey loves you, the cheerleading thing has just been an adjustment. But if you show him how much you love it, he’ll come to love it too. He’s a good boyfriend.” 

Sabrina gave Roz a watery smile. “Yeah… he is.” She sighed, “and you’re right. I just need to talk to him.” 

The blonde couldn’t help but pull her best friend back in for a tight hug. “Thank you, Roz, I really needed this. And I’m sorry about Ambrose… he’s a great guy, but he can be kind of a slut.” Roz snorted and buried her face into Sabrina’s shoulder. 

“Yeah…” She murmured, her voice muffled from where it was pressed against Sabrina’s shirt. “It’s probably for the best I get over this crush anyways.” She pulled away and grinned, “Ok, you know I love a good heart-to-heart but I’m exhausted. Let’s watch something stupid.”

Sabrina brightened and reached around for her laptop, which sat on the bedside table, “like _the Shining_?” Roz rolled her eyes and groaned,

“I said stupid, like _the Office,_ not scary.”

“ _The Shining_ isn’t scary, Roz.” Roz just folded her arms and gave her a look. Sabrina relented with a laugh, “alright, alright _the Office_ it is then. Season four?” 

“God, yes. Early relationship Jim-and-Pam cuteness only! I need that serotonin.”

-

There’s something cruel about the fact that she’s been at school for an hour now because of cheer practice and yet she’s somehow running late for her first class - Drama with Ms. Wardwell - because the field got unofficially double booked for early morning practices. Normally, the cheer squad only has to share the turf with the football team but this morning, because the soccer field is currently indisposed due to a mole infestation, the soccer coach decided to use the cheer space. Prudence had been _livid_ and honestly? Sabrina didn’t blame her.

The Baxter High men’s soccer team hadn’t ever won a game as far as Sabrina knew while the cheer squad had placed at state for the past four years. And yet there was still a very real chance that the soccer team would be prioritized over the squad. 

She shook her head, trying to squash down her growing feelings of frustration and anger - they’d have to cross that bridge when the time came but right now she’s got more pressing matters to deal with. Like booking it down the empty school hallways, with an attendance note clutched tightly in hand toward the auditorium, desperate not to be too late to her first class. Ms. Wardwell does not suffer tardiness lightly, even from her favorite students. 

She and her friends used to grumble about student athletes and their magical attendance notes that seemed to allow them free run of the school - but right now, she’s incredibly thankful. And out of breath. 

Sabrina took a deep breath and then pushed open the double doors of the auditorium. 

“Ah, perfect timing Ms. Spellman - you’re our even number.” Ms. Wardwell called out from her place on the stage and Sabrina tried not to blush when every head in the room swivels around to look at her. Roz waved at her from the corner where she’s sitting with Harvey, but there’s a weird guilty look on her face that Sabrina doesn’t really understand. 

“I, uh, have a note…” She said, walking forward into the brightly lit auditorium. Ms. Wardwell just waves her hand dismissively,

“Yes, yes, Mr. Scratch already explained.” Sabrina finally took notice of the dark figure with familiar broad shoulders standing below the stage, not seated with everyone else. A feeling of dread begins to bloom in Sabrina’s chest. A quick glance around the room only contributes to the growing feeling - students are not sitting just randomly as it originally appeared, everyone is sitting in pairs. Oh no. She whips her head back around to stare at Roz and Harvey, Roz who looks apologetic and Harvey… Harvey won’t look at her at all. Suddenly, she feels a little light-headed. 

“You and Mr. Scratch will be partners for the first project of the semester, which I was just explaining to the class. Please, take a seat so I may continue.” 

Sabrina dropped into the empty aisle seat to her immediate left as Nicholas sauntered up to her. “Spellman,” he murmured in greeting as he sat down beside her. He smelled earthy like the summer warmed pine smell of the forest around her house and something spicy, like clove or cinnamon. She said nothing.

“Excellent… as I was saying, this first project will go until the end of October, early November. You and your partner are to memorize and perform a portion of one of the Bard’s plays. Last year, everyone picked Romeo and Juliet so in order to not be bored to tears once again, there will be a sign up sheet for the different plays and scenes available. Next class you will pick your scene, so utilize this class period with your partner and come up with a list of a few different scenes you’d like to focus your project on. It will be first come first serve next class. Understood?” Ms. Wardwell’s fierce gaze swept across the auditorium. No one said anything, but she had clearly gotten her point across. “Now, this project will also include…” 

Sabrina couldn’t stop bouncing her leg as she waited for Ms. Wardwell to finish up, her eyes trained on Harvey and Roz. The second Ms. Wardwell signaled for partners to begin going through the scenes and the auditorium filled with chatter, Sabrina stood up. 

“Spellman-“ Nicholas started but she ignored him and marched over to her best friend and boyfriend, not sure herself what she hoped to accomplish but not really caring. 

Roz waved weakly when she walked over, but Harvey doesn’t look up from the packet of scripts. “Sabrina I’m so sorry, Ms. Wardwell asked us to partner up for the project and you weren’t here and—“ Sabrina deflates a little when she meets Roz’s apologetic brown eyes and hears the sincerity in her voice. 

“’S not your fault, Roz. Blame the men’s soccer team.” Harvey snorted, but still didn't look up. Sabrina narrowed her eyes at him; he was still refusing to even look at her and it was starting to really piss her off.

“ _What,_ Harvey.” 

His eyes snapped up to meet her's finally, but she wasn’t expecting the spark of anger she saw there. Defensively, she crossed her arms. 

“Nothing, ‘Brina.” He looked back down at the scripts in his lap, before shaking his head and setting his pen down with a sharp snap. “Actually, not _nothing._ It’s just awfully convenient that you _both_ show up late and you end up conveniently-" Harvey spat out the word, "-partnered up with Scratch.” He let out a humorless laugh. “‘Blame the men’s soccer team.’ Sure.”

Sabrina shifted her weight and stared at him with incredulous anger. “Excuse me? Practice got held up because—“

“Guys—“ Roz tried to interrupt. “I can go be Nick’s partner—“

“Ms. Spellman, Ms. Walker, Mr. Kinkle, I do believe I made it quite clear when I said this was a partner project.” Ms. Wardwell spoke up from behind them, making the trio freeze. “So unless one of you is changing partners, I suggest that you, Ms. Spellman, head back to your own partner.” 

Roz made to gather up her things but Sabrina shook her head, still glaring at Harvey while her boyfriend returned to avoiding her furious gaze, his hands clenched tightly into fists. 

“No, no. I’ll go.” She forced herself to face her teacher and tried to look apologetic, even though she was close to visibly shaking with rage. “Sorry, Ms. Wardwell.” 

“Sabrina—“ Roz tried again.

“It’s fine, Roz,” Sabrina cut her off. “I’ll talk to you later, ok?” She tried to make herself sound less angry - because she wasn’t angry at Roz and her best friend did not deserve to be on the receiving end of her fury. Her boyfriend on the other hand… He was just lucky Ms. Wardwell stepped in when she did. 

Without waiting for anymore of a response, Sabrina marched back toward Nicholas, only to change course at the last moment and rush out the auditorium doors, suddenly on the brink of tears and desperate to calm down. The hallway was still blessedly empty so she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, her breath ragged. Her hands curled into tight fists, the feeling of pain as her nails bit into her palms helped to bring her back down - but only a little bit. She heard the door of auditorium open and shut quietly, but she kept her eyes screwed shut. 

The fresh, earthy scent of the woods, unidentified spice, and light cologne let her know just who had followed her out. 

“In and out, Spellman,” Nicholas murmured gently. “In and out… there you go, in and out…” She latched onto his calm, warm voice and tried to get her breathing under control. It took her a while to finally get her bearings, but Nicholas remained steadfast beside her the whole time, repeating his soft coaxing. 

She unclenched her fists. “Thank you,” Sabrina whispered, her voice cracking a little. There was a subtle sound of his broad shoulders shrugging under the weight of his letterman jacket. 

“No problem, Spell—Sabrina.” Sabrina could tell he meant it too. It made her chest warm again but this time she didn’t try to push the sensation down and instead just let it be. 

She opened her eyes and looked at him. He was leaning with his back against the wall next to her, his head facing ahead. His right hand was twisting the ring on his left and the motion captivated her. She couldn’t stop thinking about his hands on Prudence, but God did she want to. He turned to look at her, his dark brown eyes intense and yet somehow gentle. 

“If you want to switch partners, I don’t mind.” That made Sabrina blush and she shook her head. 

“No, this is fine.” He snorted but let it go. However, the dismissive response reminded her of her exchange with Harvey and she bristled, “No, I’m serious Nicholas, it is. I want to work on this project with you.” And as she met his surprised dark eyes, she was startled to find that she actually meant it too. Sure, ideally she’d work with Roz or Harvey, if he wasn’t being such an ass, but she meant what she told Roz. She kind of liked Nicholas, as much as it pained her to admit it, and she was ok with working on this project with him. 

The surprise faded from Nicholas’ face quickly and was replaced with the usual annoyingly flirtatious confidence he always seemed to exude. “Knew you liked me,” he purred with a wicked grin but his eyebrows waggled playfully and she couldn’t help the amused snort or the exasperatedly fond eye roll. 

“Don’t push it, Scratch.” 

“Not pushing, just basking,” he said and leaned his head back against the wall with a grin. She groaned and shoved at him, ignoring the feeling of hard muscle beneath his black tee. He chuckled and Sabrina had to bite her lip to stop from smiling, honestly surprised her mood was already lifting. 

The pair remained settled silently against the wall for a few moments and Sabrina wiped at her eyes, hoping her mascara hadn’t smudged too bad. Nicholas glanced at the silver watch on his wrist - it looked expensive, she noted - but he didn’t comment on the time. It suddenly occurred to Sabrina that they, or really she, had pretty much wasted their whole class period with her little scene. 

“I, um, didn’t really get a chance to look at the, uh, packet…” Sabrina stuttered suddenly feeling flustered and embarrassed. “Sorry, I can, uh—“

“How much Shakespeare do you know?” Nicholas interrupted, not unkindly. 

She fingered the edge of her cheer skirt. “Oh, um, I’ve read _Romeo and Juliet_ but um, not much more than that I’m afraid…” She felt like a bad English student. Nicholas pushed off of the wall and moved to stand in front of her. Though he wasn’t as tall as Harvey, Sabrina still had to tilt her head up to look at him. 

“What do you know about _Much Ado About Nothing_?” He asked, his voice casual and curious, but his eyes were dark and magnetic - Sabrina couldn’t couldn't look away. 

“Pretty much nothing,” she said. He nodded,

“I think you’d like Beatrice, the female lead, she’s much more… feisty and independent. There are a couple of good scenes from that play we could pick from,” Nicholas suggested and she nodded. Beatrice already sounded more her speed than Juliet. 

“That sounds good to me.” 

He grinned crookedly before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his phone. 

“I know it’s probably the last thing you want to do, but you should put your number in - for project purposes only, of course.” She glared at his phone and crossed her arms,

“Project purposes _only_.” 

He placed one hand over his heart and tried to look solemn but it only managed to remind Sabrina just how well-deserved Nicholas Scratch’s reputation as a sly and cunning trickster was. 

“Scout’s honor, Spellman.” 

She rolled her eyes and snatched his phone from him. Just this once, she thought, his sneakiness was a _little_ endearing. “You were _so_ not a Scout,” Sabrina huffed, but put her number in anyways. His dark eyes glittered with humor and mischief as she handed him his phone back, feeling a little concerned with how unconcerned she felt giving him such direct access. He tucked his phone away and winked,

“No take-sy backsies now, Spellman.” She rolled her eyes, worried that he could tell how hard she was fighting a smile. 

The bell rang loudly in the hall, interrupting what Roz had accurately called their verbal sparring.

“I left my stuff inside, so…” She trailed off. Nicholas took a step back and bowed slightly, 

“Then I guess I’ll see you around, _Beatrice._ ” 

She nodded and he turned and started sauntering down the hall, just as the auditorium doors opened. 

“Don’t abuse your new found power, Scratch!” She called out, pushing herself off of the wall. He kept walking but lifted one hand and cooly flicked his wrist,

“We’ll see, Spellman!” This time she didn’t bother to try and stop the laughter that had been caged in her throat. She didn’t see Harvey slip out with the rest of the students. 

-

“I trust you and Mr. Scratch worked out what scenes you will be considering?” Ms. Wardwell said without looking up from her book - _King Lear_ \- as Sabrina walked back into the auditorium to collect her things. Roz was the only student left in the room and she smiled unsurely at Sabrina. Sabrina grinned brightly back. Roz blinked in surprise behind her thick framed glasses, but her shoulders relaxed in relief.

“Yeah, we’re focusing mostly on scenes from _Much Ado About Nothing_.” Ms. Wardwell hummed in approval, finally lifting her intense gaze to Sabrina and smirked, 

“Benedick and Beatrice, I assume. How… fitting.” 

Sabrina picked up the packet of scripts and shouldered her messenger bag, suddenly curious about what was so ‘fitting’ about Nicholas’ choice in Shakespearian works. But before she could do more than exchange confused looks with Roz, the warning bell rang. Roz grabbed Sabrina by the arm and started tugging her toward the doors.

“Goodbye girls. And Ms. Spellman, do try and not be late next time, yes?” 

“I’ll try. Bye Ms. Wardwell.”

“Bye Ms. Wardwell!” 

-

Once she was seated in her biology class, which she arrived at on time thank you, she glanced at her phone. There were four texts from Roz, the first three were from Drama class: 

**ROZ:**  
BRINA IM SO SORRY ARE YOU OK??

 **ROZ:**  
Oh shit Nick is following you out, do you want me to run interference? 

**ROZ:**  
You’re not texting me about running interference so i’m assuming you're ok… If you need me hmu <3

But the last text came in only a few seconds ago and caused Sabrina to lift a hand to her mouth to smother the giggles threatening to break free,

 **ROZ:**  
You seemed better after your talk with Scratch… WE ARE HAVING WORDS LATER MISSY (love you)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is going to be pretty heavy on the dialogue rip but I hope you guys enjoyed chapter 2! The next update should be up in a couple of days


	3. Chapter 3

> _…And sob and curse and fall and weep and rise…_  
>  -Edna St. Vincent Millay  
> 

After school Sabrina waited by Harvey’s locker, her sneaker tapping impatiently against the tiled hallway floor. Her talk with Nicholas earlier had soothed a lot of her ruffled feathers, as strange as that was, and then her talk with Roz and Theo at lunch had helped soothe some more, but she still had a bone or two to pick with her suspiciously absent boyfriend. 

She saw Nicholas down at the end of the hall, chatting with Prudence and Agatha and tried not to focus on the way Agatha’s hand was touching Nicholas’ bicep. She accidentally made eye contact with him and he winked, but made no further engagement and instead threw his head back and laughed at whatever Prudence had been saying. Sabrina puffed out her cheeks and looked away, feeling a little ridiculous.

She leaned her shoulder against Harvey’s locker and continued to wait.

“Heyya cous,” Ambrose whispered right in her ear causing her to jump and let out an embarrassing squeak. She smacked him across the chest, not bothering to pull the hit in the slightest and glared at him. 

Her cousin grinned at her, obviously pleased with himself for startling her, but he still rubbed at the spot where she hit him. Sabrina felt a little smug. Good, serves him right. 

“What, Ambrose.” 

“If you’re waiting for your boy Kinkle, I saw him already in the student parking lot.” Sabrina blinked in surprise - there was no way Harvey had already gotten to his locker… unless he was avoiding her and skipped going to his locker all together. And he was supposed to be her ride! Her anger spiked. 

“Excuse me,” she muttered and pushed passed Ambrose, probably more aggressively than she needed to, but she was now a girl on a mission. 

As she passed Prudence, Sabrina heard her gleefully call out, “Come on Nicky, it seems there’s going to be a murder in the parking lot.” 

“Pru…” Nicholas started but Sabrina had already turned the corner and was heading toward the door, too angry to care about Prudence and Nicholas, or anyone else for that matter, gathering in the parking lot to watch her yell at her boyfriend. 

She threw open the back doors and immediately spotted Harvey getting into the driver’s seat of his pickup. He looked up as if sensing the heat of her furious gaze and slammed the driver’s door shut. He started the engine as she thundered down the concrete stairs. 

“HARVEY KINKLE!” She bellowed, still marching across the parking lot until she stood directly in front of his truck. They stared at each other through the dirty glass, until Harvey huffed and killed the engine. Swiftly, she got into the passenger seat. 

“Drive,” She snapped. 

-

The car ride was painfully silent as they drove along the dirt road toward the mortuary, neither of them having said a word since Sabrina’s snapped command in the school parking lot. Harvey had made one attempt as they passed Dr. Cerberus’ to fiddle with the dial of the radio, some grungy guitar riff played for half a second before Sabrina had reached over and smashed the radio dial, effectively cutting the song off, and furiously stared at the side of Harvey’s head. If he wasn’t going to speak up and explain just what the hell he thought he was doing - the third degree in Drama or attempting to avoid and leave her at the school - he was going to suffer the achingly quiet car ride with no reprieve, just like she was. 

Her phone was currently blowing up with frantic and confused texts from their friends, but she paid them no mind, her phone clenched tightly in her grasp. A single text from Ambrose flashed on her screen, reading: “I know a good place to stash a body…” Sabrina shut her phone off and crossed her arms. 

When they pulled up to the mortuary, Harvey pulled the key out of the ignition and they sat staring ahead for a while. Sabrina waited, but she was growing impatient; if he didn’t start explaining, _she_ was was going to start yelling. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, his jaw clenched hard and slowly grinding his teeth. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore - if he wasn’t going to open up, she’d make him.

“What the hell did you mean when you said it was a ‘coincidence’ that Scratch and I were both late to class this morning?” 

Harvey groaned and leaned back in his seat. “Nothing, ‘Brina, it was just-“ 

Her mounting anger spiked at his dismissive tone. “Don’t you _‘nothing ‘Brina’_ me, Harvey,” She snarled and turned to face him. He remained steadfast in staring into her Aunt Hilda’s garden, his jaw clenched seemingly, impossibly tighter. “You’ve been ‘nothing ‘Brina’ing me all fucking day. Now, what the _hell_ did you mean—“ 

Harvey finally whipped around to face her, his eyes blazing, “I meant you both showed up late to the first class of the year and end up, surprise, surprise, as partners in the class project—“

She groaned, “we were late because the fucking men’s soccer team and their coach were being misogynistic assholes and the soccer field is infested with moles which held up both the cheer and football practices! You would’ve _known_ this had you actually bothered to listen to me earlier.” She paused, a new thought occurring to her. “Do you—do you think I’m _cheating_ on you? With _Scratch?_ ” 

“I don’t know what to think Sabrina!” Harvey snapped and threw his hands up in the air. “You’ve never been the cheerleading type, you used to scoff at Prudence and her cheer goons but then all of a sudden you’re trying out for the team? And then you’re going to football parties and—“

“That’s what this is all about? Cheerleading?” Sabrina scoffed. “Trying out was a spur of the moment thing Harvey and I _like_ it. I like cheerleading. And I enjoy hanging out with the squad, sometimes even the Weird Sisters aren’t too bad. Why can’t you just be happy that I’ve found something I like doing?” 

“I…” Harvey frowned and looked at his steering wheel, where his hands were back to their original white-knuckled position. “What about Scratch, then, huh?” 

Sabrina felt like screaming, “What about him?” 

“You said it was problems with the soccer team that caused you to be late, but how do you know he didn’t orchestrate that? Or-or make himself late to-“ He looked at her with wide eyes.

Sabrina couldn’t believe what she was hearing, “Harvey, that’s fucking ridiculous. Life isn’t a goddamn comic book.” She was at least somewhat relieved to see a blush bloom on Harvey’s pale cheeks, like he hadn’t realized how crazy that thought was until he said it out loud. His eyes skittered away from her face.

Harvey swallowed, “do you not see the way he looks at you? Like you’re some piece of meat, like—“ 

“What does it matter how Nicholas Scratch looks at me? Besides I’m pretty sure he looks at every girl, maybe even some guys, like that! He’s a player!” 

Harvey smacked his hand against his steering wheel. “Exactly, ‘Brina! He’s a player! He’s the kind of guy you used to hate but now you’re what? Laughing at his jokes? Working on—“ This time Harvey cut himself off, but the damage was already done. 

“‘Working on a project together?’ Was that what you were going to say? The same project that Roz offered to work with him on, the one where you were already partnered up? That’s not _fair,_ Harvey, I didn’t choose to be his partner!” Her voice was hoarse from yelling and tears were starting to burn at her eyes. Harvey hunched his shoulders and hung his head,

“You did, though… in the end you chose to be his partner.” 

Sabrina unlocked the car door and threw it open, suddenly bone-tired of this fight. “What the hell was I supposed to do? You were being an _ass,_ Harvey.” She sighed, desperately fighting off tears. “We’re not done having this fight, but… I need a break. I’m going inside.” She stepped out of the pickup. 

“A break? ‘Brina—“ Harvey sounded panicked and she rolled her eyes. 

“Not a _break_ break, Harvey. A break from this conversation, from this fight. Ok?” He slumped into his seat and it hurt to see him like that, defeated, but she held strong. She was too angry and hurt to comfort him right now. Harvey nodded sadly, brown locks hanging limply in his sullen face,

“Ok.”

“I’ll have Ambrose drive me to school in the morning,” she said. 

“O-Ok.” 

She nodded and shut the door before walking toward the mortuary steps. One of the curtains shifted and she resisted the urge to groan, silently praying to any deity that would listen that her aunts hadn’t heard their fight. Please, let it not be Aunt Zee, _please_ let it not be Aunt Zee…

“‘Brina!” Harvey called and she stopped. “I love you.” 

Her shoulders slumped and her breath caught. Sabrina turned and looked at him, hanging haphazardly out of the passenger door, his hair a mess and eyes wet. She gave him a watery, weak smile,

“I love you too. I’ll see you tomorrow at lunch.” 

-

When she opened the door of the mortuary she heard her Aunt Hilda whispering frantically, “—Zelda you can’t—“ but her Aunt Zelda was already stepping out of the kitchen and into Sabrina’s way, a fierce look on her face. 

“What was all that racket about, Sabrina? Was that the Kinkle boy?” 

Sabrina rolled her eyes and snarled, “Yes, that was _Harvey,_ Aunt Zelda. I’m going to my room. I have homework.” 

Zelda’s eyes flashed dangerously at Sabrina’s tone, but the young girl was just too emotionally exhausted to care. Her first day of junior year had been an emotional clusterfuck of epic proportions and the last thing she needed was to get chewed out by her aunt who already had an unexplained vendetta against Harvey. She was tired of yelling, tired of fighting.

“Sabrina Spellman—“ 

“I’m going. To. My. Room.” She growled again and stomped passed her aunt and up the stairs, a little surprised when her aunt didn’t immediately follow her. She slammed the door of her bedroom shut and scared Salem from his nap on her bed. She tossed her book bag down and jumped into her bed, pressing her face into a pillow and screamed and screamed and screamed until her voice cracked and gave way to heaving sobs. Eventually she drifted off into an uneasy sleep, Salem a constant comforting presence at her side. 

When she woke up later, her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and there was a dull ache in her chest. She groaned pitifully. At some point in her sleep, one of her aunts must have come in because her blanket was pulled up to her shoulders and her shoes were arranged neatly on the floor. Aunt Hilda most likely. 

The red hues of the setting sun filtered through her bedroom window, casting her bedroom in a hazy glow and let her know she had been sleeping for some time. Sabrina resisted the urge to groan again. She swung her legs off the side of her bed and headed to the bathroom, filled with the need to scrub away the day. The warm water of her shower felt, as corny as it sounds, revitalizing and it gave her time to relax and think. She was still angry with Harvey - angry about his inability to accept her new pastime, angry about his refusal to communicate, angry that he blamed the whole Drama project situation on her and Scratch… Sabrina frowned. 

It felt weird coming to Nicholas’ defense, especially against her boyfriend, but it had been ridiculous to accuse him of being the cause of her tardiness. Sure, Harvey hadn’t known all the facts at the time but he’d also been completely unwilling to listen to her when she tried to explain. And who knows, maybe Nicholas was capable of rigging the system to get the two of them alone - she could definitely believe that was something he’d do - but she very much doubted he somehow managed to infest the soccer field with moles in order to hold back cheer practice so he could what? Be her partner in a class project that would only last two months? She snorted. 

There was no way Scratch would risk Prudence’s wrath like that. She supposed there was a higher likelihood of him making himself late in order to be her partner, but she had seen him attempting to stop Prudence from attacking the captain of the soccer team after practice was let out, so she doubted it. Plus, there was no way he’d have known they were going to be assigned a partner project anyways. 

Sabrina thought back to what else Harvey had said, as she reluctantly turned the water off. _He looks at you like a piece of meat…_

 _Did he?_ She wondered. Sabrina thought back to when she first started on the cheer team, way back at the beginning of the summer - she’d had a few run ins with Nicholas, mostly when he was hanging with the Weird Sisters, sometimes when he was with Ambrose. He’d always been flirtatious, and she could admit that he was more so with her than other members of the squad. She remembered the one and only time Harvey had attended one of her practices - it had also been the first time Nicholas had stepped in against the Weird Sisters’ taunting. Dorcas had been about to break her favorite black headband, she and Harvey had been pissed, but before a fight could ensue, Nicholas had swooped in and distracted Dorcas with a deep kiss as he plucked the hairband out of her hands. He’d had purple lipstick smeared on his lips when he tossed it back to Sabrina with a wink. She remembered feeling pleasantly surprised at the gesture, even if it had been gross watching him and Dorcas briefly make out. It was the first kind thing he’d done for her, but it certainly hadn’t been the last. That day had also been the first time Harvey and Sabrina had really fought too, but she didn’t want to dwell on that, not on the come down of their most recent and far worse fight. 

Maybe back then, Nicholas had looked at her like another possible conquest, another notch on his bedpost - he’d already done most of the cheer squad by that point and she had been ‘fresh meat’ as it were. But now… Sabrina considered his actions earlier that day. He had been kind of exactly what she needed, someone to stand by her in silent support without pushing or prodding. He didn’t ask any questions or make her feel silly about her mini break down, he just stood there as a source of kind, quiet comfort she normally associated with, well, Salem. 

She stepped out of the shower and began toweling off. Even when Nicholas had been flirting and joking around, he’d never once made her feel uncomfortable or like he thought she was nothing more than “a piece of meat”. He’d been her… friend. That thought nearly made Sabrina drop her towel. It was one thing for Roz to suggest it teasingly or even seriously, it was another to actually see the cold, hard evidence of the early budding friendship. Between her and _Nicholas Scratch._

Sabrina shook her head, trying to shake these new ideas from her head - trying to shake Nicholas Scratch from her thoughts. She dressed quickly and reentered her bedroom and the bright screen of her phone caught her eye. Sabrina couldn’t help the incredulous laugh when she saw just _who_ had been texting her, as if her thoughts had summoned him. 

**UKNOWN:**  
Hey Beatrice, have a chance to look over the scenes yet? Any you feel drawn to?

 **UNKNOWN:**  
We also don’t have to do Much Ado if there’s another scene from a different play you like better, I just figured out of all the Shakespearian heroines, Beatrice would be more interesting for you

Sabrina was honestly touched that he was taking her seriously into consideration - another example of their fledgling friendship. She was also relieved to see that he didn’t bring up her issues with Harvey; while she hadn’t seen him in the parking lot when she’d stormed over to her boyfriend, she’d be willing to bet _Salem_ that Prudence and Agatha had dragged him out there to bare witness. 

She changed the contact from UNKNOWN to Scratch and sat on her bed. 

To **SCRATCH:**  
Honestly? I took a nap and just woke up… I haven’t looked at the scenes at all

He responded immediately. 

**SCRATCH:**  
Spellman you rebel

 **SCRATCH:**  
Well let me know when you’ve had a chance to look them over… 

**SCRATCH:**  
(Act 4, scene 1 - starting at around line 1909 is my personal favorite ;))

Sabrina rolled her eyes and decided to ignore him for the time being. Instead, she focused on reading through all of the scenes provided in Ms. Wardwell’s packet. Grudgingly, she had to admit he was kind of right about Beatrice - she was headstrong and independent and witty - and to her embarrassment, as she read over some of the more romantic scenes, she could see why Ms. Wardwell had called their choice of Benedick and Beatrice “fitting”. Two headstrong leads with a tumultuous relationship who enjoy ‘verbally sparring’ with each other and end up actually becoming friends and eventually lovers… and well, Sabrina wasn’t _stupid_. Too bad for Nicholas that she already had her Benedick… -er, well, Harvey wasn’t really Benedick and she didn’t know enough Shakespeare to make a more accurate comparison but still, the point stood. 

Eventually she got to the scene Nicholas had suggested and she was, once again, pleasantly surprised by the lack of romance in it. Sure, they were confessing their love but the scene was far more focused on Beatrice’s grief and need for vengeance. She began to read aloud,

“O God, that I were a man! I would eat—“

“—His heart in the market place,” her Aunt Zelda’s voice finished from behind her. “An excellent scene by the Bard,” she nodded in approval. 

“Auntie Zee,” Sabrina started, the memory of her snarling at her Aunt earlier flashed through her brain. “I’m so sorry—“

“Hush, child,” Aunt Zelda said sternly, though her eyes were kind. She walked further into the room and Sabrina sat up from where she had been laying across her bed. Her aunt sat down next to her. “Don’t repeat this to your Aunt Hilda, but she had been right to try and step in earlier. I was furious at the Kinkle…” Sabrina leveled her aunt a look and Zelda rolled her eyes. “At _Harvey_ for making you cry, but you did not need my anger, and for that I apologize.” Tears pricked at Sabrina’s eyes,

“Thank you,” she murmured. Zelda ran a gentle hand through Sabrina’s light hair. 

“Hilda sent me up here to wake you and let you know dinner is ready, if you’re hungry.” Though her words left the impression of choice, Sabrina knew by the look in her eyes that there was no room for argument. Sabrina’s stomach grumbled and she blushed. 

Aunt Zelda rolled her eyes affectionately, “Come on then.” 

When the pair entered the dining room, Aunt Hilda was helping Ambrose set the table. Her aunt clapped happily when she saw Sabrina, but didn’t comment on what had happened earlier. Ambrose, however, has never had the same tact that Aunt Hilda possessed. 

“I don’t see any blood on you, but you’ve also clearly taken a shower… tell me cous, is the body out back?” 

Sabrina rolled her eyes and Aunt Hilda lightly swatted at her nephew. 

“No bodies need to be disposed of Ambrose, Harvey lives and walks among us.” 

Ambrose shrugged and set down a butter knife. “A pity, then.” 

Sabrina didn’t feel the usual urge to rush to her boyfriend’s defense, which was odd but she blamed that on her current anger and on the fact that, for once, Harvey actually kind of deserved her family’s ribbing. Not that she’d tell them that of course. Instead, she grabbed the stack of plates Aunt Hilda handed to her and resumed her usual role of helping Ambrose with the table. 

Thankfully no one made any more comments about her fight with Harvey over dinner. Her Aunt Zelda did, however, ask about her Drama project. 

“You were reading _Much Ado About Nothing_ in your room just now, is that for a school project?” 

Sabrina nodded as she lifted a spoon full of soup to her lips. “Yeah, for Ms. Wardwell’s Drama class. It’s a partner project; we’re supposed to select a scene from a Shakespearian work and perform it for the class at the end of October.” 

“Are you and Harvey partners for this project, love?” Aunt Hilda asked kindly. “Or maybe you and Roz? This is the class you took together, yes?” 

Sabrina nodded though she couldn’t help how her hand tighten a little on her cutlery. She swallowed, “yeah it is but um… I was late to class this morning due to a cheer problem so I’m actually partners with Nicholas Scratch.” Both her Aunt Zelda and Ambrose perked up at the name and Sabrina had to resist rolling her eyes - though she was a little surprised this was news to Ambrose, she figured Nicholas would’ve already said something to her cousin. As for her Auntie Zee… Nicholas had been over to their home only the _once_ because Ambrose had invited him over and for some reason her Aunt Zelda, the same woman that refused to call her long term boyfriend by his first name, the same woman who never smiled at anyone who wasn't sitting at this immediate table, loved him immediately. 

“Ah Mr. Scratch, how is he? Still as handsome as ever, I bet,” Zelda smirked. 

This time Sabrina didn’t bother to stop or hide the eye roll. “He’s fine. He’s, uh, actually the one who suggested _Much Ado About Nothing_ and the scene I was reading when you came to get me.” 

Zelda nodded in approval, as if that was to be expected from him. “He has excellent taste.” 

Ambrose snickered into his soup, but the subject was dropped much to Sabrina’s relief. 

Later that night Sabrina finished reading all the possible scenes from the packet, but she was hooked on the scene Nicholas had suggested. As much as she wanted to find something else, if only as payback for the winky face text, it was the scene that spoke to her the most. 

She reached for her phone,

To **SCRATCH:**  
Act 4, scene 1 is perfect

Again, it wasn’t long until he responded. 

**SCRATCH:**  
Excellent 

To **SCRATCH:**  
Of course we’re going to need some backup scenes in case it gets picked

 **SCRATCH:**  
Nah

She rolled her eyes a lot when Scratch was involved, she was beginning to notice. She ran a hand down Salem’s sleek, purring body before responding. 

to **SCRATCH:**  
Nah? 

**SCRATCH:**  
The scene is ours, dear Beatrice 

**SCRATCH:**  
I’ll make sure of it ;) 

She snorted, but figured she’d let him handle it then if he was going to be so cocky about it. 

To **SCRATCH:**  
Don’t do anything illegal 

**SCRATCH:**  
No promises x

 **SCRATCH:**  
Goodnight Beatrice

Sabrina contemplated just ignoring his text, but then she thought about how kind he had been earlier that day. She thought about their budding friendship and how much she didn’t actually mind letting it grow. 

To **SCRATCH:**  
Night Benedick 

That night she slept soundly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a little longer, hope you guys enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> come bug me on tumblr @ wickedscratch or on pinterest/twitter @ wirtisms
> 
> as always, thank you kris for your never-ending support <3


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